The first phase of the long-awaited Gaza ceasefire deal has begun after an almost three-hour delay, with Hamas set to release three Israeli hostages later on Sunday.
The ceasefire was due to start at 08:30 (06:30 GMT), but Israel said Hamas had not delivered the names of the first hostages to be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas blamed “technical reasons”.
Nineteen Palestinians were reportedly killed as the Israeli military struck what it called “terror targets” in Gaza after the initial deadline passed.
The ceasefire eventually took effect at 11:15, after Israel received the hostages’ names. Mediator Qatar said they included British-Israeli and Romanian-Israeli dual nationals.
A statement from Hamas identified the three women as Romi Gonen, 24, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, a Romanian citizen, and 28-year-old Emily Damari, who is the only British national still being held after 15 months of devastating war.
The Israeli government has not confirmed the names, but it has said the women are among the 33 Israeli hostages who are due to be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners during the first six-week phase of the deal.
Israeli forces will also withdraw from densely populated areas of Gaza, displaced Palestinians will be allowed to begin returning to their homes and hundreds of aid lorries will be allowed into the territory each day.
Negotiations for the second phase – which should see the remaining hostages released, a full Israeli troop withdrawal and “the restoration of sustainable calm” – will start on the 16th day.
The third and final stage will involve the reconstruction of Gaza – something which could take years – and the return of any remaining hostages’ bodies.
On Saturday night, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that any ceasefire would be “temporary”, and that Israel reserved the right to resume the war, with US backing, if it broke down.
The Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas – which is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and others – in response to an unprecedented cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage.
More than 46,910 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. Most of the 2.3 million population has also been displaced, there is widespread destruction, and there are severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter due to a struggle to get aid to those in need.
Israel says 94 of the hostages are still being held by Hamas, of whom 34 are presumed dead. In addition, there are three Israelis who were abducted before the war, one of whom is dead.
On Sunday morning, the Israeli military announced that special forces had recovered the body of Staff Sgt Oron Shaul, an Israeli soldier who was killed in the 2014 war in Gaza.
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